afterbirth afterburner aftermath airbrush aircraft airfield airliner airman airport airship armchair armpit arrowhead authorship backbite

backdrop backfield backfire background backhand backlash backlog backside backslide backspin backstop backstretch backstroke backtrack backward backwash backwater backwoods bagpipe ballroom bandwagon bankbook bankroll barnstorm barnyard barroom bartender baseball baseboard bathroom beachcomber beachhead bedridden bedrock bedroll bedspread bedtime beeline bellhop billboard billfold blacklist blackmail blacktop blockbuster bloodsucker bobcat bobtail bookmobile

boxcar brainstorm brainwash breakfast brickbat bridgehead briefcase broadcast brotherhood buckshot buckskin bucktooth bugbear bulldog bulldozer bullfrog bullheaded bullpen buttercup butterfingers butterfly buttermilk capsize carhop carport catbird catfish catnip cattail chairman championship cheapskate checkmate checkroom checkup cheesecloth chestnut chickpea chickweed chopstick citizenship clapboard claptrap clockwise clockwork clodhopper clotheshorse cobweb copycat copyreader copyright copywriter corkscrew cornerstone cornstalk Cornwall cottonmouth cottontail cottonwood countdown counterattack counterbalance counterclockwise counterintelligence

countermeasure counteroffensive counterpane counterpart counterpoint counterpoise counterrevolution countersign countersink countertenor counterweight courthouse courtship courtyard cowbird cowboy cowcatcher cowhide cowlick cowpoke cowpox cowpuncher cowslip crabgrass crackdown crackerjack crackpot crackup cradlesong crankcase crankshaft crapshooter crawfish crestfallen crossbar crossbeam crossbones crossbow crossbreed crosscurrent crosscut crosspiece crossroad crosstalk crosswalk crosswise crowbar crybaby cubbyhole cupboard cupcake cutback cutlass cutlet cutoff cutthroat cutup daredevil darkroom dashboard dateline daybreak daydream dayflower

daylight daylights daytime deadbeat deadline deadlock deadwood deathbed deathblow deathwatch dimwit dishwasher doeskin dogcatcher dogfight dogfish dogtrot dogwood donnybrook doorknob doorman doormat doorway doughboy doughnut dovetail downcast downfall downgrade downhearted downhill downpour downright downstairs downstream downtown downtrodden downward downwind dragnet drainpipe drawback drawbridge drawstring dressmaker driftwood driveway dropout drugstore drumstick duckbill duckboard duckpin dugout dumbbell dumbwaiter dustpan earache eardrum earflap earmark earmuff earphone earring

earshot earthquake earthwork earthworm earwax earwig eastward eavesdrop egghead eggnog eggplant elbowroom elderberry elsewhere enamelware endless endmost endplate evergreen evermore eyeball eyebrow eyeglass eyelash eyelet eyelid eyepiece eyesight eyesore eyestrain eyetooth eyewitness fairway fallout falsehood fancywork fanfare fanlight farewell farmhouse farmyard farseeing fatback fatherhood featherbed featherweight feedback fellowship fiberboard fiddlesticks figurehead Fillmore filmgoer fingerboard fingernail fingerprint firearm fireball firebrand firebug firecracker firedamp firefly fireman

homee fireplower fireplug fireproof fireside firetrap firewood firework fishbowl fisherman fishhook fishwife flagpole flagship flagstaff flagstone flameout flapjack flashback flashlight flatboat flatcar flatfish flatfoot flatiron flatware flintlock floodgate floodlight floorwalker flophouse flyblown flyby flycatcher flyleaf flypaper flyspeck flyweight flywheel foghorn folklore foodstuff foolhardy foolproof football footboard footbridge footfall foothill foothold footlights footlocker footloose footman footnote footpath footprint footrest footstep footstool footwear footwork forbear forearm

forebear forecast forecastle foreclose forefather forefinger forefoot forefront forego foregone foreground forehand foreleg forelimb forelock foreman foremast foremost forenoon foreordain forequarter forerunner foresail foresee foreshadow foreshore foreshorten foresight forestall foretaste foretell forethought forewarn foreword formfitting fortnight fountainhead fourscore foursome foursquare fourteen foxglove foxhole framework Frankfort freebooter freedman freehand freehold freeman Freemason freestanding freestone freethinker freeway freshman freshwater fretwork frogman frostbite fullback gainsay gallstone gamecock

gamesome gangplank gangway gaslight gasworks gatecrasher gatekeeper gateway gearbox gearshift gemstone ghostwriter gingerbread giveaway Glendale globetrotter glowworm goalkeeper goatskin goldbrick goldenrod goldfish goldsmith gooseberry grandchild granddaughter grandfather grandma grandmother grandpa grandparent grandson grandstand grapefruit grapeshot grapevine grasshopper grassland grassroots gravestone graveyard greenback greenhorn greenhouse Greenland greenwood greyhound griddlecake gridiron grillroom grindstone groundwork grubstake guardhouse guardsman guesswork guidebook guideline guidepost gumdrop gumshoe gunboat guncotton gunfire

gunlock gunman gunpowder gunshot gunsmith guttersnipe hacksaw haddock hailstone hairbreadth hairbrush haircloth haircut hairdo hairdresser hairline hairpin hairsbreadth hairsplitting hairspring halfback halfbreed halfheareted halfway hallway hammerhead hamstring handbag handball handbill handbook handcar handcart handclasp handcuff handmade handmaid handout handpick handrail handshake handsome handspring handwriting handyman hangdog hangman hangnail hangout hangover hardheaded hardhearted hardpan hardship hardtack hardtop hardware hardwood harebrained harelip Hartford hatchway haycock hayfork

hayloft haymow hayseed haystack haywire hazelnut headache headband headdress headfirst headgear headland headlight headline headlock headlong headmaster headmistress headphone headquarters headrest headset headstall headstone headstrong headwaiter headwaters headway hearsay heartache heartbeat heartbreak heartburn hearthstone heartsick heartstrings heavyset heavyweight hedgehog hedgehop heirloom hellcat hellhole helpmate helpmeet hemstitch henceforth henchman henpeck hereabout hereafter hereby herein hereof hereon hereto heretofore hereunto hereupon herewith herringbone herself heyday hideaway

hidebound highball highborn highboy highbred highbrow higherup highhanded highland highlander highlands highlight highroad highway highwayman hijack hillbilly hillside hilltop hindmost hindquarter hindsight hinterland hobbyhorse hobnail hoecake hogshead hogwash holdup hollyhock Hollywood homebody homecoming homeland homemade homemaker homeroom homesick homespun homestead homestretch homeward homework honeybee honeycomb honeydew honeymoon hoodwink hookup hookworm hopscotch horseback horseflesh horseflies horsehair horsehide horselaugh horseman horsemanship horseplay horsepower horseradish horseshoe hotbed

hotheaded hothouse hotshot hourglass houseboat housebreaking housecoat houseflies household housekeeper housewarming housewife housework hovercraft however huckleberry humankind humbug humdinger humdrum hummingbird humpback hunchback huntsman husbandman hushpuppy iceberg icebound iceboxes icebreaker iceland ideal inchworm income indoors infold infuse infusion inhale inkblot inkwell inland inmate inpatient inroad inset inside insole install instep invest invoice inward ironbound ironclad ironware ironwork ironworks itself jackass jackknife jackpot Jackson jailbird

namesake neckline necktie needlepoint needlework neighborhood network nevermore newborn newcomer Newport newsboy newscast newsletter newspaper newspaperman newsprint newsreel newsstand nightcap nightclothes nightclub nightdress nightfall nightgown nighthawk nightmare nightshade nightshirt nightstick nighttime nitwit nobleman nobody noonday noontide noontime northward notebook noteworthy nothing now/adays nowhere nowise nursemaid nurseryman nutcracker nuthatch nutmeat nutmeg nutshell Oakland oarlock oarsman oatmeal offbeat offcolor offend offhand officeholder offset offshoot offshore offspring

outside outsider outsize outskirts outsmart upon uppercut uppermost upraise upright uprising uproar uproot upset upshot upstage upstairs upstanding upstart upstate upstream upsurge upswing uptake uptown upturn upward uttermost vainglory viewpoint vineyard violincello volleyball voltmeter vouchsafe waistcoat waistline walkout walkup wallboard walleye walleyed wallflower wallpaper wardrobe wardship warehouse warfare warhead warlike warlock warlord warpath Warsaw warship wartime washboard washcloth washout washroom washstand washtub wasteland watchdog

watchman watchword waterfall waterfowl waterfront watermark watermelon waterpower waterproof watershed waterspout watertight waterway waterworks waveform wavelength waxwing waxworks wayside weakfish weatherboard weathercock weatherman weatherproof weekday weekend weightlifting westward wetback whaleboat whalebone whatever wheelbarrow wheelbase wheelchair wheelwright widespread wildcat wildfire wildfowl wildlife windburn windfall windflower windlass windmill windowpane windowsill windpipe windshield windsock windstorm windswept windward wingspan wingspread wintergreen wintertime wiretap wisecrack wishbone witchcraft withdraw withdrawn

withhold within without withstand woe/begone wolfhound womankind wonderland woodcarving woodchuck woodcraft woodcut woodcutter woodland woodpecker woodsman woodwing woodwork woolgathering work/aday workbench workbook workday workhorse workhouse workman workmanlike workmanship workout workroom workshop worktable worldwide wormwood worthwhile wrongdoer yachtsman yardarm yardstick yearbook *gas (gasoline) *sub (submarine) *auto (automobile) *exam (examination) *fan (fanatic) *deli (delicatessen) *memo (memorandum) *ref (referee) *champ (champion) *bike (bicycle) *ad (advertisement) *burger (hamburger) *grad (graduate) *teen (teenager) *math (mathematics) *dorm (dormitory) *copter (helicopter) *phone (telephone) *plane (airplane) *stats (statistics) limo fridge prof exam gym dorm flu auto burger ad

bike memo

typo coed

merry-go-round editor-in-chief son-in-law wellrespected up-to-the-minute bull's-eye daughter-in-law forget-me-not self-propelled self-esteem blending

agitprop (agitation + propaganda) alcopop (alcohol + pop) bash (bat + mash) biopic (biography + picture) Breathalyzer (breath + analyzer) camcorder (camera + recorder) chexting (cheating + texting) clash (clap + crash) cosmeceutical (cosmetic + pharmaceutical)

docudrama (documentary + drama) electrocute (electricity + execute) emoticon (emote + icon) faction (fact + fiction) fanzine (fan + magazine) flare (flame + glare) flirtationship (flirting + relationship) glimmer (gleam + shimmer) Globish (global + English) guitarthritis (guitar + arthritis) infotainment (information + entertainment) moped (motor + pedal) palimony (pal + alimony)

pornacopia (pornography + cornucopia) pulsar (pulse + quasar) sexcapade (sex + escapade) sexploitation (sex + exploitation) sitcom (situation + comedy) slanguage (slang + language) smash (smack + mash) sportscast (sports + broadcast) stagflation (stagnation + inflation) staycation (stay home + vacation) telegenic (television + photogenic) textpectation (text message + expectation) workaholic (work + alcoholic)

1. Backclipping Blackclipping (Apocopation) is the loss of one or more syllables at the end of a word. Examples:

hanky/hankie (handkerchief) fax (facsimile) exec (executive) binocs (binoculars)

abs (abdominal muscle) app (application) bi (bisexual) bra (brassiere) photo (photograph) ep (episode) fed (federal) gig (gigabyte) intro (introduction) demo (demonstration) hyper (hyperactive) expat (expatriate) expo (exposition) fave (favorite) flex (flexible) frat (fraternity) gas (gasoline) glam (glamour/glamorous) gov (governor) gozz (gossip) grad (graduate)

2. Foreclipping Foreclipping (Aphaeresis) refers to the omission of one or more syllables at the beginning of a word. Examples:

phone (telephone) sample (example) coon (raccoon) gator (alligator) burger (hamburger) graf (paragraph) cid (acid)

3. Middle Clipping Middle Clipping (Syncope) retains the middle part of a word, getting rid of the beginning and ending parts. Examples:

flu (influenza) tec (detective) jams (pajamas) fridge (refrigerator)

4. Complex Clipping

Complex Clipping is the shortening of a compound word by preserving and combining its initial parts (or first syllables). Examples:

black slow

3. Verb to Noun Examples:

sci-fi (science fiction) midcult (middlebrow culture) sitcom (situation comedy) forex (foreign exchange) frag (fragmentation grenade) garbo (garbage man) govvy (government-run or sponsored) grandma (grandmother) grandpa (grandfather) chum (chamber fellow) antilog (antilogarithm)

fear feel hope attack alert laugh visit increase call command cover start turn rise

What are the types of Conversion? Most cases of conversion are from noun to verb and from verb to noun. Conversion from adjective to verb is also common, but it has a lower ratio. 1. Noun to Verb Examples:

4. Preposition to Adverb/Noun/Verb Examples:

access pocket film practice name shape fuel hammer dot break host rule telephone and ship

up out outside inside

5. Onomatopoeic expression to Verb Examples:

buzz beep woo moo screech

Prefixation: ambidextrous, contraceptive, mispronounce, nonsta ndard, Suffixation: orphanage, dependence, kingdom, defendant

2. Adjective to Verb Examples:

goofproof brown

Back-Formal ion implies the use of analogy to bring about a sort of reversal of the process of derivation, to make a new word. Thus, the words 'henpeck', 'televise', 'enthuse', 'burgle' and 'sunburn' are made by reducing or subtracting a part of the original words 'henpecked', 'television',

'enthusiasm', 'burglar' and 'sunburnt' respectively even though the converted words may not have existed originally in English. Similarly, the words like 'book-keep', 'house-keep', and 'typewrite' are formed by reducing 'bookkeeping', 'house-keeping' and 'type-writing'. Some of the oldest examples of back-formations are, as Otto Jesperson points out, "/o backbite (1300), to partake(partake, 16th c), to soothsay and conycatch (Shakesp.)" (Growth and Structure of the English Language, p. 165). (vi) Reduplication In this process we make a type of compounds in which both elements or components are same or only slightly different. 'Tom-tom', 'dilly-dally', 'goody-goody', 'wishy-washy' and 'pooh-pooh' are some examples of such compounds.

book-keep from book-keeping brainwash from brainwashing[4] bulldoze from bulldozer[4] bum possibly from bummer[4] burgle from burglar[4] bus ("to clear dirty dishes from table") from busboy[4] bushwhack from bushwhacker[4] buttle from butler[4]

Coinage Nylon, polyester, internet, lycra, coke, Kleenex, windex, A

cadge from cadger[2] caretake from caretaker cavitate from cavitation[1] cherry from Old French cerise, treated as English plural[4] Chess (river) from Chesham choate from inchoate choreograph from choreography[4] claustrophobe from claustrophobia cohese from cohesion (cf. cohere) commentate from commentator[4] committal from non-committal complicit from complicity[3] computerize from computerized congratulation from congratulations contracept from contraception (cf. rare contraceive) contrapt from contraption convect from convection[2] conversate from conversation or conversing[5] cose from cosy couth from uncouth[2] co-vary from covariation cross multiply from cross multiplication cross-refer from cross-reference[6] curate from curator[3] custom-make from custom-made

aborigine as a mistaken singular for aborigines (the correct English singular is aboriginal, the regular Latin singular would be aborig)[1] accrete from accretion (root: accrescere)[2] acculturate from acculturation[2] admix from admixt[3] admixture from admix[1] adsorb from adsorption[1] adolesce from adolescence[1] adulate from adulation[3] advect from advection[3] aesthete from aesthetic[2] air-condition from air conditioning[2] anticline from anticlinal[4] attrit from attrition[4] auto-destruct from auto-destruction (cf. auto-destroy) automate from automation[2] aviate from aviation[2]

babysit from babysitter[2] back-form from back-formation bartend from bartender[4] beg from beggar[dubious discuss] benefact from benefactor (and also the derived benefactee, cf. benefactor) bibliograph from bibliography bicep from biceps (non-standard)[2] biograph from biography blockbust from blockbuster[4]

dapple from dappled[4] darkle from darkling[2] decadent from decadence[2] deconstruct from deconstruction[4] dedifferentiate from dedifferentiation[4] demarcate from demarcation[2] demograph from demographics destruct from destruction[4] diagnose from diagnosis[2]

diffract from diffraction[2] dinge from dingy

[2] [4]

gruntle from disgruntle[2]

diplomat from diplomatic

dishevel from disheveled[2] donate from donation[2] drear from dreary drowse from drowsy (possibly a backformation) dry-clean from dry cleaning[4]

handwrite from handwriting[2] hard-boil from hard-boiled[2] hawk (meaning "to sell") from hawker[4] haze from hazy[2] headhunt from headhunter headquarter from headquarters[4] helicopt from helicopter housebreak from housebroken[2] houseclean from housecleaning[2] housekeep from housekeeper[2]

eave from eaves

[6] [2]

eavesdrop from eavesdropper

edit from editor (from Latin stem edere, to bring forth)[1][2] electrocute from electrocution[2] elocute from elocution emote from emotion[4] enthuse from enthusiasm[4] escalate from escalator[4] eutrophicate from eutrophication evaluate from evaluation[2] explicate (meaning "explain") from explicable extrapose from extraposition
[4] [6]

ideologue from ideology[2] incent from incentive[3] indice from indices (cf. index) injure from injury[4] intercept from interception (possibly a backformation) interfluve from interfluvial[4] interlineate from interlinear intuit from intuition[4] isolate from isolated[2]

fine-tune from fine tuning[6] flab from flabby

[2]

flappable from unflappable[4] flake ("eccentric person") from flaky floss ("to show off") from flossy[6] fluoresce from fluorescence
[2]

jell from jelly[2] jerry-build from jerry-built[2]

fragmentate from fragmentation[4] free-associate from free association (backformed adjective-verb compound) funk (quality of music) from funky[3]

kempt from unkempt[2] kidnap from kidnapper[2] kudo from kudos (non-standard)[2]

gamble from gambler[2] gestate from gestation[2] ghostwrite from ghostwriter gid from giddy
[2] [4] [2] [2]

lase from laser[2] laze from lazy[2] legislate from legislator[2] letch from lecher[4] liaise from liaison[2] loaf (meaning "to be idle") from loafer[4] logroll from logrolling[4] luminesce from luminescent[4]

gnarl from gnarled

godsend from god-sent

greed from greedy (the noun was originally "greediness")[4] grid from gridiron[2] grovel from groveling
[2]

grunge from grungy[2]

manipulate from manipulation[2]

mase from maser mentee from mentor mix from mixt (adj. from Old French, misconstrued as past participle of verb)
[2] [2]

resurrect from resurrection[2] ruly from unruly rotovate from rotovator

mottle from motley

moonlight (the verb, work on second job) from moonlighter[2] multimillion from multimillionaire

sass (impudence) from sassy[4] sculpt from sculptor[4] secrete (meaning "to produce and emit") from secretion[2] secretive from secretiveness[2] sedate (the verb) from sedative[3] self-destruct from self-destruction (cf. self-destroy)[3] semantic (adjective) from semantics sharecrop from sharecropper[2] shoplift from shoplifter[2] sightsee from sightseeing[4] sipid from insipid[4] sleaze from sleazy[2] sleepwalk from sleepwalking[4] smarm from smarmy[2] sorb from sorption (also a back-formation) soft-land from soft landing (backformed adjective-noun compound) sorption from adsorption and absorption[2] spectate from spectator[4] stargaze from stargazer[2] stave (the noun) from staves[2] steamroll from steamroller[4] stridulate from stridulation[2] suckle from suckling[2] sulk from sulky[2] summate from summation[2] sunburn (the verb) from sunburned[2] superannuate from superannuated[2] surreal from surrealism[4] surveil from surveillance[4] swashbuckle from swashbuckler[2] swindle from swindler[4] syncline from synclinal[4]

nake from naked

[2] [2]

[2]

nitpick from nit-picking notate from notation

obsess (meaning "to behave obsessively") from obsessive[dubious discuss] obligate (as a verb meaning "oblige") from obligation one-up or one-upman from one-upmanship[2] orate from oration[2] orientate from orientation

panhandle (meaning "to accost") from panhandler[4] paramedic from paramedical partake from partaker[2] patriation from repatriation pea from Middle English pease[7] peddle from peddler[2] peeve from peevish[2] pettifog from pettifogger
[4] [2]

phosphoresce from phosphorescent pleb from plebs ply from reply preempt from preemption[2] process from procession[7] prodigal from prodigality[4] proliferate from proliferation[2] proofread from proofreader[4] pugn from impugn[citation needed]

R quadrumvir from quadrumvirate[2] quantitate from quantitative

tase from Taser televise from television[4] tongue-lash from tongue-lashing[2] transcript (verb) from transcription (cf. verb transcribe) tricep from triceps (non-standard) trickle-irrigate from trickle-irrigation (possibly backformed from verbnoun compound but may also be verb-verb compound)

raunch from raunchy

[2] [2]

reminisce from reminiscence

tweeze from tweezers[4] typewrite from typewriter[2]

3.

Metrosexual: A man who dedicates a great deal of time and money to his appearance.

4. unit from unity[2] upholster from upholstery[2]

Muffin top: This refers to the (often unsightly) roll of fat that appears on top of trousers that feature a low waist.

5.

Stich 'n bitch: A gathering of individuals who chat or gossip while knitting or crocheting.

6.

BBF: Stands for best friends forever. Used to state how close you are to another individual.

vaccinate from vaccination[4] vend as in vend out (meaning to contract out to a vendor), derived from vendor vinify from vinification
[2] [2]

7.

Vagjayjay: Slang term for the vagina that was believed to have been coined by Oprah.

8.

Chilax: To calm down or relax, it is a slang term used when someone is starting to get uptight about something that is happening.

vivisect from vivisection

9. wiretap from wiretapper[4]

Racne: Acne located on a womans chest.

10. Staycation: A vacation at home or in the immediate local area. Trademarks That are Genericized Brand names or Words that were created especially for advertising and PR

Examples of Social Networking and Technology Neologisms 1. Google: To use an online search engine as the basis for looking up information on the World Wide Web. 2. 3. Tweet cred: social standing on Twitter. 404: Someone who's clueless. From the World Wide Web error message 404 Not Found, meaning that the requested document could not be located. 4. Crowdsourcing: The activity of getting a large group of people to contribute resource to project, especially by using a website where people can make contributions. 5. Spam: Flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. 6. Geobragging: Repeated status updates noting your location in an attempt to get attention or make other people jealous. 7. 8. 9. App: Software application for a smartphone or tablet computer. Noob: Someone who is new to an online community or game. Troll: An individual who posts inflammatory, rude, and obnoxious comments to an online community. 10. Ego surfer: A person who boosts his ego by searching for his own name on Google and other search engines. Examples of Popular Culture Neologisms 1. Tebowing: description of a prayerful victory stance derived from NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. 2. Brangelina: used to refer to supercouple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

campaigns that are now used generically. These are sometimes also referred to as generonyms (a neologism in itself): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Aspirin Hoover Laundromat Band-aid Kleenex Frisbee Tipex Xerox Tupperware

10. Escalator 11. Granola 12. Zipper 2012 U.S. Election Campaign Neologisms 1. Republicants The 49 percent of Republicans who, in a recent survey, were unable to explain the meaning of their partys initials GOP. 2. Mitthead A individual who constantly changes his political positions to suit his audience and objectives, 3. Moon-basing The act of a candidate or surrogate offhandedly proposing a policy so outrageous that it significantly harms the candidates electability. 4. Santorum We'll let you look that one up for yourself.

5.

Unappalin Adjective used to describe a person with a combination of physical attractiveness, ruthless ambition and limited mental capacity.

band-aid Frisbee What's the difference between an acronym and an abbreviation?

6.

Rickwad An individual who claims to be a devout Christian but supports policies that indicate otherwise.

Many people feel they have the same meaning, but traditionally there is a difference:

The Washington Post Neologism Competition Every year The Washington Post runs an annual competition in which the readers of the newspaper are asked to submit alternative meanings to existing words. The results are often extremely amusing. Here are examples of Washington Post neologisms: 1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs. 2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. 3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. 4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk. 5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent. 6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown. 7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp. R.S.V.P. 8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash. 9. Flatulance (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller. 10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline. 11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam. ESL / EFL 12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists. 13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist. 14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms. 15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there. 16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men. Both of these abbreviations have the same meaning and are very common to see for learners of English. ESL means English as a second language. - It is mostly used in American English. EFL means English as a foreign language. - It is mostly used in British English. Neither of them needs use a full-stop in between the letters -it is EFL, not E.F.L "Rpondez s'il vous plat", a French phrase that translates to "please respond" or literally "respond, if you please". It is used on invitation cards. When you receive an RSVP you must reply to the invitation saying whether you accept or decline the invitation. Here are ten examples of common acronyms and abbreviations: An abbreviation is used by taking the first letter of a longer sentence. Each letter is spelled out and not read as a word. Two examples are BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and CNN(Cable News Network). An acronym is a word that is that is made by taking the first letter of the full name or sentence. For example, there is a famous Swedish furniture company is called IKEA. It is the short form of forIngvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. The company name is called IKEA; it is read like any other word. It is never spelled out letter by letter: I - K- EA.

Current neologisms xray google black hole prequel Internet jumping the shark plus-size blog wardrobe malfunction truthiness- usage on The Colbert Report was neologistic fauxhawk consumerization also: kleenex hoover

Note: On the same subject we use ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) and TESOL(teaching English to speakers of other languages). P.M. / A.M. Both of these are used when telling the time:

A.M. - Also written as p.m. and pm, it stands for "post meridiem" (Latin for "after noon" in the 12-hour clock). P.M. - Also written as a.m. and am, it stands for "ante meridiem" ("before noon").

AD / BC BC (or B.C) stands for "before Christ". AD (or A.D) stands for "Anno Domini" (Latin for "In the year of Our Lord"). ASAP ASAP (or A.S.A.P.) stands for "as soon as possible". We you use this abbreviation when we want someone to do something quickly: "Send me the report ASAP."

4) beriberi - disease due to vitamin B deficiency

5) bonbon -a candy or sweet that often has a center of fondant, fruit, or nuts and is coated with chocolate or fondant

6) boo-boo - a stupid mistake or blunder

7) bye-bye - goodbye DIY DIY (or D.I.Y) stands for "do it yourself". The term used by various communities that focus on people (called 'do-it-yourselfers' or 'DIYers') creating or repairing things for themselves without the help of paid professionals. 10) chop chop - right away; quickly (from pidgin English) B.Y.O.B. B.Y.O.B. or (BYOB) often seen on invites to parties. It stands for "bring your own bottle / booze"; you are invited to a party, but you should bring your own drinks. ETA ETA (not E.T.A) stands for "estimated time of arrival". It is the time when a form of transport (like a train or plane) is expected to arrive in a place. The opposite is ETD ("estimated time of departure"). 15) muumuu - loose, bright Hawaiian dress P.S. P.S (or PS) stand for "post script" and is used at the end of written letters to add extra information. 17) no-no - forbidden I.e. / E.g. These two abbreviations are easily confused and both used when writing: 18) papa - father 16) night-night - goodnight 14) hush-hush - secret; confidential 12) goody goody - someone virtuous or smug 11) froufrou - Fussy or showy dress 9) choo-choo - A locomotive train or sound of the train 8) cha-cha - ballroom dance (Latin)

13) ha-ha - the sound of laughter

I.e. (or i.e. / I.E.) stands for "id est" (Latin for "That is (to say)" or "in other words"). E.g. (or e.g. / E.G.) stands for "exempli gratia" (Latin for "for example").

19) pawpaw - same as papaya

Do you find any change between the two word components? No. You find that the initial word is simply duplicated. There is no rhyming, but repetition

claptrap, hokey-pokey, honey-bunny, razzle-dazzle, slim jim, super-duper, teenie-weenie, wingding,bye-bye, choo-choo, night-night, no-no, pee-pee, poo-poo,bric-a-brac, chit-chat, criss-cross, kitty-cat, knick-knack, jibberjabber, splish-splash, zig-zag. nitty-gritty, helter-skelter, yada yadaA. Duplicative Type - Repetitive Compound words: Rhythmic word formation. Consider following examples for its rhythm:

of identical constituents for the sake of rhythm.

B. Alliterative Type - Repetitive Compound words: Another peculiar word formation. Consider following examples for yet another peculiarity.

1) chit-chat - informal gossipy talk

2) clip clop - sound of a horse's hooves 1) ack-ack - anti aircraft fire 3) criss-cross - made of lines which cross each other repeatedly 2) aye-aye - yes (found used by seamen) 4) dilly-dally - to loiter 3) bang-bang - sound of a gun when firing 5) ding-dong - the sound of a bell

6) flim-flam - foolishness

4) boo hoo - crying sound

7) flip-flop - several meanings, 1. sound of repeated flapping 2. a backward

5) boogie-woogie - piano jazz style

8) somersaut 3. a sandal with a piece between the toes

6) bow-wow - the sound of a dog

9) hip-hop - type of music

7) easy-peasy - very easy

10) knick-knack - a small ornament or trinket

8) fuddy-duddy - conservative or dull person

11) mish-mash - a confused mixture

9) hanky-panky - suspicious behaviour

12) ping pong - table tennis

10) heebie-jeebies - nervousness

13) pitter-patter - a light, tapping sound such as of rain drops

11) helter-skelter - haphazard

14) riff-raff - rabble; people who are worthless

12) higgledy-piggledy - muddled

15) riprap - broken stones on water used to protect riverbanks

13) hocus-pocus - trickery; a magician's incantation

16) see-saw - children playing on a piece of wood with a central balance which

14) hodge-podge - a confused mixture

15) hoity-toity - haughty allows it to move up and down 16) itsy-bitsy - tiny 18) shilly-shally - unable to come to a decision 17) jeepers creepers - exclamation of surprise 19) tick tock - sound of a clock 18) mumbo-jumbo - derogatory reference to a religious or spiritual ritual 20) tittle-tattle - idle chat or gossip 19) namby-pamby - feeble, weak 21) zigzag - sharp turns in alterating directions 20) nitty gritty - the facts Is there rhyming? Yes. You might have noticed that these compound words do not rhyme in the usual way. Have you noticed that the two components of these words have same consonants? Yes you agree. Then what makes the difference? Yes the vowels alone are replaced. So they are alliterative i.e. the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables. 23) willy-nilly - whether it's wanted or not dis-: I dislike the medicine. + distrust, dissatisfied il-: It is illegal to jaywalk. + ill-mannered, illiterate im-: His actions were improper. + imperfect, impractical in-: His answer was incorrect. + inactive, insecure ir-/ear He is an irresponsible ski bum. + irregular, irreplaceable 21) okey-dokey - OK

22) super-duper - very pleasing

C. Rhyming Type - Repetitive Compound words: This peculiar word formation is for the sake of rhyming. Consider following examples:

1) airy-fairy - One that is insubstantial or impractical

2) argy-bargy - verbal dispute

3) artsy-fartsy - pretentiously or affectedly artistic (also arty-farty)

mal-: What caused the alarm to malfunction? + malformed, malpractice mis-: I mistrust some politicians. + misguided, mismatch non-: He flew nonstop to New York. + nonfood, nondairy un-: I can't unzip my coat. + unable, undo counter-: Water will counteract the burning. + counterculture, countermove anti-: He put antifreeze in the car. + antibiotic, antismoking

Notice that, as noted above, even irregular forms can be represented re-: (again): Frank will rewrite his letter. + redo, retell pre- (before): The pizza is precut. + presold, pregame co- (together): Fred's coworker is ill. + copilot, coanchor de- (from, remove): We should defrost the refrigerator. + decode, destabilize be- (by): Will you stand beside me? + behead, becalm a- (on): The empty boat is afloat. + afire, awash morphologically using these morphemes. E.g. the irregular plural sheep is written as {sheep} + {PLU}, even though the typically form of {PLU} is not used here. Similarly, better = {good} + {COMP}; drove = {drive} + {PAST}. hyper- (over): The monkey is hyperactive. + hyperacidity, hyperexcited hypo- (under): Hypodermic needles are used to give flu shots. + hypotension inter-(between): Go on the interstate (between cities) highway. + interbank sub- (below): His temperature is subnormal. + subzero super- (over): The fireman made a superhuman effort. + supermarket trans- (across): Linberg made the first transatlantic flight. + transpolar Derivational Affixes There are an indefinite number of derivational morphemes. For example, the following are some derivational suffixes:

uni- (one) Charlie rode his unicycle in the parade. + unilateral, unisex bi- (two) He is riding his mountain bicycle. + biannual, biplane tri- (three) Timmy got a tricycle for Christmas. + tricolor, triangle quadr- (four) A square is a quadrangle. + quadriplegic, quadrennial quin- (five) Have you heard of the Dione quintuplets? + quintet, quintuplicate dec- (ten) We are near the end of the decade. + decathlon, decalogue

Borrowing Dutch- landscape, uproar, knapsack, brandy , roster, easel Spanish- tornado, alligator, mosquito, comrade, guitar, esplanade Norwegian- ombudsman

centi- (hundredth or hundred) There are 2.54 centimeters in an inch. + centiliter, centennial milli- (thousandth) Fingernails grow one millimeter in about 10 days. + milliliter, milligram kilo- (thousand) A kilogram is a little over two pounds. + kilometer, kilowatt mega- (million) A megaton is a very large amount. + megadose, "megabucks"

semi- (half) He drew a semicircle.+ semiannual, semitrailer multi- (more than one, many) "Syllable is a multisyllabic word. + multistage, multilingual poly- (many) A polysyllable is a big word. + polygon, polygraph micro- (very small) You can see germs with a microscope. + microbe, microchip macro- (large) You can see macroscopic bugs with the naked eye. + macroscale, macronutrient mini- (small) What is the doctor's minimum fee? + minibike, miniskirt maxi- (extra large) What is the maximum you will pay? + maximize, maximal Inflectional Affixes English has only eight inflectional affixes: {PLU} = plural Noun -s boys {POSS} = possessive Noun -s boys {COMP} = comparative Adj -er older {SUP} = superlative Adj -est oldest {PRES} = present Verb -s walks {PAST} past Verb -ed walked {PAST PART} = past participle Verb -en driven {PRES PART} = present participle Verb -ing driving